LOW wages and delays in payment of salaries are reportedly fuelling brown envelope journalism among media practitioners.
Media watchdogs say the lowest paid journalist should get at least US$600 per month.
Media Alliance of Zimbabwe chairperson and Zimbabwe Union of Journalists national secretary-general Perfect Hlongwane yesterday told NewsDay that journalists were becoming “extortionist” because they were poorly remunerated.
The development comes after Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation journalist Tendai Munengwa and Central Intelligence Organisation operative Henry Kachere were last week arrested for extorting US$25 000 from Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya, who is the chief executive officer of Better Brands Jewellery.
“Journalists are not sufficiently remunerated because of our economic problems. It is affecting how journalists are remunerated at their work places. The least paid journalists should at least be paid US$600 per month. If they are under-paid, their professionalism is threatened and they might accept bribes,” Hlongwane said.
He said a national employment council for journalists should be urgently formed to deal with issues of their welfare.
